The present invention is directed to a molded tapping member made of a weldable plastic material and formed of a U-shaped saddle piece arranged to be mounted on the pipeline with a tapping connection member and a branch connection secured to the saddle piece.
A similar molded tapping member is disclosed in Switzerland patent publication No. A-570577 and is formed of two shell-shaped parts connected together in an articulated manner by means of a film hinge, the two shell-shaped parts form a unit. To place the molded tapping member on a pipeline located in a ditch or trench, the lower shell-shaped part must be bent to a considerable degree or the tapping member must be slipped onto the pipeline from the side with tensioning members being applied to the opposite side for pressing the two shell-shaped parts against the pipe during the welding operation.
Such an assembly of the tapping member requires a rather large open space along the side of the pipeline whereby a more extensive removal of earth is required than would ordinarily be necessary to gain access to the pipeline itself. A simpler and more mechanized placement and welding of this molded tapping member on the pipeline is not possible. Another disadvantage in various constructions involves the arrangement of the wires of the heating or resistance wire mat which must be cut during the tapping operation with a drilling or cutting tool for use on plastic material. Further, there has been no arrangement of the tapping member which is particularly concerned with the favorable flow of the fluid medium from the pipeline into the branch line.